Often I feel like I've gotten to an age where I've seen and heard just about everything to do with horses. Not much surprises me. But the so-called "sport" of horse tripping still does. I happen to live in an area of Southern California that's home to a lot of horses. And, like much of Southern California, there are quite a few people with ties to the Mexican community. Both of those statistics are all well and good, however, when they converge together what sometimes results is a clash of cultures. That's how I first discovered horse tripping. A couple of years ago there was a small, impromptu sort of Mexican rodeo-- and I use that term loosely-- held at a dusty regional park on the fringe of my county. What brought the event to my attention was that the sheriff busted the gathering for including horse tripping in its events. What stuck with me was a comment from one of the spectators that they didn't understand all the hoopla because the horses used in the tripping contests were on their way to the slaughterhouse, anyway.
Well, but fortunately horse tripping has been illegal in California for several years.
Phoenix, Arizona, is currently wrangling with the issue of horse tripping. You can read about one city official's attempt to ban it on Horse Channel by clicking here:
An Attempt to Put the Drop on Horse Tripping
If you're like me you probably cannot fathom what the heck motivates someone of any cultural or ethnic background to perceive horse tripping as a "sport," especially not one worthy of a human being in today's (allegedly) enlightened society. However, if you'd like to get some background on horse tripping, I suggest starting here:
A Look at Horse Tripping
It might not make you feel any better about what can happen in a Mexican charreada, but you'll be better informed.
Please feel free to add your comments about horse tripping to the Horse Channel article. Or you can comment here by clicking on "comments" below.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
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17 comments:
Cindy, thanks for the information about "tripping." I'll see if we can get it banned in Tennessee. I have a question for you, my email is reg@imacx.com, send me a note. Thanks, Travis
I don't understand how people can find that "sport" entertaining. I think it is sick and it needs to be banned in all States.
It's totally wrong, just like Mexican slaughter houses. Would those people just step back and see what they're doing!!??
I don't understand what the big deal is to be honest. I've seen it happen, and its a sport. I've actually heard that the horses actually seem to enjoy it as it is a challenge for them.
There is a portion of a charreada which PETA likes to call horse tripping. The opponents of mangana express outrage at the fact that a horse caught by its front legs. The fact is, catching a horse by its front legs is not cruelty. It is a time tried method of controlling what can be a very dangerous animal while using the minimum force necessary.
The charro has four hundred years of experience in handling large stock. This includes horses. In that time they have determined the best way to catch a running horse is by the front lags. This is because of the physical makeup of the horse. Unlike a steer, the horse your roping will be running faster then the horse that is being ridden. This is because the rider weights down his horse. Therefore the horse your trying to rope will be accelerating away from you. That makes roping a horse around its neck while it is at a gallop dangerous to both the roper and the animal. Simply put, if you try to rope a running horse while on foot, you will either have the rope pulled from your hand or you will end up on your face. If you try to rope a running horse around the neck while your on horseback, your either have the rope pulled from your hand, have you or you and your horse pulled over if you can get the rope around your saddle horn or if you do get the rope around your saddle horn and if you can get your horse set, then the horse you rope will fall back just like a calf in a calf roping. I’ve only seen a running horse roped around its neck and stopped once and there was two riders , one of whom was pulled sideways on his horse . That horse that was caught reared up and almost fell over backswords.
Even Eric Mills has said that roping a horse’s front legs is an appropriate way to stop a horse under certain circumstances. Specifically, when you have a dangerous animal lose and you need to stop it. If roping the front legs of a horse is a reasonable way to stop a horse, how do you teach people to do it. Eric Mills says you should not do it by sport. But that is the way its been done for 400 years. The older generation teaching the younger in the arena. This is how mangana evolved.
There are apparently some videos showing skinny malnourished horse being knocked down. This is a problem. The problem is not mangana though, its generally the lack of funds to purchase or rent adequate animals. If you go to Mexico and watch the strong well fed animals down there, you will see horses being knocked down, and then getting up and trotting away.
There is also a PETA video, which they say stopped mangana in Illinois. The problem is, its has been cropped to only show the horse being brought down. What they don’t show you is what happed to the horse afterwards. Since they don’t do that, I can only assume that the horse got up and trotted away as I’ve seen over three hundred times.
I’m not trying to say that mangana is gentle. Then most rodeo events aren’t. It’s not cruel though. It’s a reasonable way to stop an animal that can do serious injury to people.
Thank you for your consideration. I remain;
Randy Janssen
From the same folks that brought us bullfighting............
This is repulsive. Anyone who would do this to God's living creatures will surely spend eternity in Hell. And the sooner the better.
Randy Janssen said, "The charro has four hundred years of experience in handling large stock."
show me a 400 year old charro, idiot... abuse is abuse, no matter how you try to whitewash it.
It has been a while since I’ve had the pleasure of the obscene and racist dribble on my web site horsetrippng.com. I can only conclude that either you ran out of profanity or you finally realize that mangana is no more dangerous then jumping, thoroughbred racing and polo and that it is safer to horses then steeple chase and cross country. It is probably the latter, since no one has provided any evidence that mangana is more dangerous to horses then other equestrian events. Since a number of you profess to be such profound horse advocates; I will point out that the National Steeplechase Association still has a number of events listed for 2008. Because of the repeated references to Ghandi and Cesar Chavez, I believe that many of you are committed to their principles. I therefor challenge you to have the courage of your convictions. If you honestly think that anyone who places a horse in danger should be stopped, then I think you will be more then willing to commit acts of civil disobedience to stop the barbaric practice of Steeplechase. The PETA people should glad to man the barricades to stop this carnage.
Randy Janssen
Randy Janssen is nothing but a retarded human being.
He can't help what he is.
Randy Jansen, so many things are absolutely FALSE about your statements.
first of all, a horse by nature will avoid confrontation and challenge at all cost. Notice the horse runs AWAY from the rope, doesn't turn around attack and never will in this sitaution. They are flight animals, not fight. Maybe "the charro has four hundred years of experience," but these individual rodeos and people obviously do not. The ropers are generally young guys with equivalent experience and nothing to lose. The best way to catch a running horse is 100% NOT TO TOUCH THE LEGS, and that is precisely because of the physical makeup of the horse. What you are saying about this is wrong. A horse can survive serious neck injuries, they can even survive being shot in the neck yet many horses are euthanized because of irreparable leg injuries as slight as twisted ankles. As to your view of steeplechase, these horses are cared for much better than rodeo horses. Think about it logically: steeplechasing requires an immense amount of time, money, and training and the many people counting on a competing horse will do anything to make sure the horse is in full health and expertly handled. These tripped horses? Not at all. No one cares about their well-being, otherwise they wouldn't take pleasure in abusing them and later killing them. Horse tripping is a sorry excuse a for a sport, steeplechase actually takes skill and talent.
I just found out about this today and I am outraged. I want to take every single one of those charros and force them into a dead run and lasso their legs out from under them and see if they think that's the best way to stop horse tripping!
I find the lack of truthfulness to you statement offensive, you have never attended any event in claifornia, a few years back, where it was shut down because of horse tripping, the charro community has ceased dropping mares in the forefooting event for over 15 years now, across the united states. get your facts straight, i want to see or hear first hand accounts of how we "abuse" horses. i am tired of hearing ignorant people who claim to be representing the benefit of the horses conjure such false claims as to have witnessed or have seen, or heard. show me proof, i want to see numbers, vet reports, police reports... dont take advantage of the charros reluctance to proclaim your claims as false. give me a brake...
I’ll offer you the charro challenge. I made it to Eric Mills and something called SHARK or Showing Animals Respect and Kindness. They have refused to accept. For four hundred years charros have been practicing mangana and they have not caused repeated serious injuries to animals. Then arrogant Anglos condemn mangana based on their gut feeling that it is wrong, with no empirical evidence to support their condemnation. Now, Charros have proposed a scientific study to find out the truth about mangana. We will put up half the cost; are you willing to do the same? In short, put your money where your mouth is. If not, then take this web page down.
Randy Janssen
Randy Janssen,
That spells SARK, stupid
watch this video
Also it is shark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ke5frHR1pc
That video didn't prove any point. Are you trying to say animals don't feel? When in the slaughter house, do they feel no pain? So maybe a gazelle will eat grass after their baby is killed, but what do you expect, for them to have a wake? They are ANIMALS and there is no way for them to even do that. Even if the Horse Tripping did not hurt them, they will end up in the slaughterhouse.
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